Childhoods is an eight-part film depicting childhood and family life in the 60's in South of France.
With the help of my grand-mother, I rediscovered many 8mm reels that my grand-dad shot in the 60's. I couldn't view them as I didn't have a projector so had them copied on a DVD. Only then did I discover what my family hadn't seen for over 40 years. Old films are so precious because people knew each second was important. There aren't hours of uneventful content. There are simple moments, such as children on a swing, then running to the camera, then a family shot in the sun.
I decided to create a series of mini stories, exploring the moments given by the reels. The first day of school, a trip on a boat, picking flowers, etc. Each video opened on an illustrated slide: an image bursting with colour which contrasted with the black and white film coming next. I love the idea that children don't try to represent the world exactly as it is. They love colours and they use them freely. People are blue, pink, purple, like a box of sweets.
You can view one of the stories below.
